A dashcam recording captured the October 19 Palms hit-and-run, and the person who recorded it is cooperating with LAPD, Yo! Venice! reported. The outlet said investigators are seeking the driver of a dark Ford Explorer.
Yo! Venice! reported that Ellen Herschel was crossing Venice Boulevard at Clarington Avenue in a marked crosswalk with the signal in her favor at 5:45 p.m. when an SUV accelerated from a left-turn lane and struck her. The vehicle ran over her foot and knocked her into the street. Its driver stopped briefly, then left without helping her, the outlet reported.
A separate hit-and-run investigation on Venice Boulevard followed a September 5 crash at Abbot Kinney Boulevard, CBS News Los Angeles reported. Two pedestrians were struck around 9:10 a.m., and one suffered critical injuries. Police said the driver briefly got out, returned to the vehicle and drove east. Authorities announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the suspect’s identification, arrest and conviction.
Venice Boulevard safety context
LADOT identifies Venice Boulevard as part of the city’s High Injury Network and reported 1,203 collisions on the section west of Inglewood from 2012 to 2022, including 58 people killed or severely injured. LADOT and Metro also announced completion of more than 4 miles of improvements between Inglewood Boulevard and National Boulevard, including new crosswalks, signal upgrades, parking-protected bike lanes and a 24-hour dedicated bus lane, according to LADOT.
